Originally, The Shiftless Rounders were characters in Eli Kaplan’s 2001 play, “Black Eye.” The two wayward musicians find themselves in a Midwest greasy spoon, trapped in a blizzard. Strangers among the locals, all of whom suffer from restlessness and heartache, The Shiftless Rounders quickly identify with their serendipitous company. The play enjoyed a successful run in Western Massachusetts. The Shiftless Rounders began touring in late 2003.